forum Opportunistic Omnivore: Scavenging the Remains of the Divine || OxO || Closed || 18+

Started March 15, 2023 by @ElderGod-kirky group

tune

Sláine had no dignified response to that, so he just flushed and kept quiet while Eurion worked on getting him dressed. It felt odd to have someone else dressing him like that, but it also felt right to have his lover's hands at his waist and deftly fastening the clothes over his body. Domestic. Like they had been together long enough to not be awkward about it, because though Sláine was unfamiliar with the sensation, he didn't hate it. So, as Eurion examined the outline of the chains that the prince could feel pressed against his skin, Sláine was looking up at him while he had the chance, watching the other with a fondness that finally crept through the sea of flustered feelings.

He worked extra hard to cool himself down and stop being so wired up, which was entirely Eurion's fault and still decidedly an unfair thing to do to the prince knowing they had other things to do and a timeframe to work within. Sláine helped where he could as he was dressed, but for the most part let Eurion fuss over the fabric and how it all sat on the prince's body, while he avoided looking at his lover and thought about anything and everything that wasn't the man in front of him. Just a single look at the assassin conjured the memory of those fucking words against his lips. That's a good boy. Cruel. Eurion was cruel to him. How did he expect Sláine to not make things difficult or focus entirely on the festival when he had the chains now trapped against him and reminding him with every movement what the assassin had in store for them? There was no way he would be able to focus solely on anything when he had this entire encounter seared into his mind, and his thoughts were all too happy to pounce on them after just the slightest passing reminder.

By the time the robes and sash were secured in place and Eurion was moving back to get a good look at everything, Sláine had somehow cooled down enough to be coherent and look his assassin in the eyes. A good thing, too, because that smirk had melted into the most adoring smile he had seen on the man, and it didn't take long for him to be returning it, even if his cheeks stubbornly stayed a dusty pink from the compliment. He'd never get over receiving those from his lover. The prince ran his fingers over the fabric, feeling the lines of the chains beneath, but also how soft they were, and how comfortable he felt in them. He couldn't see himself, but he could tell that they did look nice just from what little he could see and Eurion's reaction.

He didn't want to separate quite yet, mostly because he wasn't finished hiding, so Sláine leaned in to thunk his head against Eurion's chest, his hands sliding up over his torso and idly tracing the lines of muscles. "Thank you," he whispered.

Eurion's smile only grew as his prince nestled once again against his chest and he gladly let Sláine hide away from the world for just a little longer as he recovered from the teasing he had been subjected to. As much as Eurion wanted to keep his prince like that for longer, stay in that room until he was too flustered to even talk on command, it was equally as good to have the other whispering softly into his skin and touching his chest so gently. No one had ever been so gentle with him before, had touched him as if he were delicate and worth being cared for and treated with such gentleness. It made his own heart warm and flutter in a different way than it had been when he had been teasing. Sláine, even if incredibly hot, was soft and warm and good. It was why Eurion couldn't help the way he wrapped his arms around the man in a hug, once more pressing his face into Sláine's hair and breathing him in. Maybe he needed the time to cool down, too, "You're welcome, Your Highness."

All good things came to an end, though, and he needed to dress himself before. Time was ticking, Skyfall would be in full swing before they even got there and Eurion didn't want to miss the falling of those stars and beauties, that eclipse, and be there to welcome in the new season of luck and prosperity with his people. But most importantly, with his prince. Not being dressed in time wasn't going to be the reason that he missed such an event. Slowly, and placing a kiss to Sláine's head, he removed his prince's arms from around his body, lifting them to his lips to press a kiss to the back of each hand before letting them go.

It didn't take as long for him to dress himself because he new what he was doing, and also wasn't in the process of teasing and flustering his mate as he did so. First the pants, then the shirt with the sleeves of his own rolled to his elbows. The sash was quick to follow. The deep blue highlighted his paleness, and the purple only made things a little worse but the assassin didn't care. The fabric was soft and delicate, just like Sláine's, and it was clear now that they were both dressed that they were together. No one would even attempt to flirt with either one of the men because of how they looked. At least there was some form of respect in his culture, if only for an evening. Eurion grabbed the pot of purple paint and moved to the mirror that sat on the far side of the room, making quick, efficient work of decorating his skin in the colour with moves that matched Sláine's. By the time he was done, he made sure his fingers were clean and he turned to his prince.

With gentle hands, as if Eurion was afraid of breaking them, he picked up Sláine's mask in one hand and his own in the other. Sláine could do his own jewellery while Eurion helped with Caoimhe and Aideen, but the masks? He still wanted to be the one to put them on. His touch was far too soft for someone of his nature as Eurion placed it over Sláine's eyes, and it felt as if time stopped when he saw his mate in what was pretty much the final outfit.

Slowly, but surely, Sláine calmed down enough to be able to function like a normal person. Breathing in Eurion's scent helped, as did being able to touch and feel him—being engulfed in the man's presence. He melted into the hug and closed his eyes, savoring the moment for as long as he could have it in his grasp. The teasing was over, he was dressed completely minus the basic jewelry and mask, and now Eurion was left along with the others. Skyfall wouldn't wait for them to cuddle and be enraptured by one another. They had time for that later. Really, they had all the time in the world to get up to all sorts of things. Maybe not every second, but Sláine refused to let go of his assassin again. They'd always come back to one another regardless of the situation or how far apart they were.

So, even if he wanted to protest, he didn't. Sláine hummed happily at the kiss to his head, then ignored the fluttery feeling he got from the quick kisses to his hands. If he let himself react, allowed any feelings and impulses to come to fruition, they'd never leave. Sláine backed away from Eurion and let him get dressed in peace unlike a certain someone. To keep himself busy, he fiddled with the outlines of the chains, imagining what people might think if they caught a glimpse of the impressions. Useless, to wear such accessories when you couldn't even see them. Useless, that is, if you weren't an assassin with a plan that was way too into seeing a prince certain ways.

Coughing and shaking himself out of that thought process, Sláine glanced over at Eurion and watched him get dressed the rest of the way. His fingers were nimble and knew just what to do, just as they had been while dressing the prince. He wondered if he had ever been to festivals like this, or if he had just known from hearing about it. Eurion seemed so immersed into his culture, but at the same time so removed due to the Gods.

Sláine stayed very still when Eurion approached him with the mask, recognizing the look on his face and knowing this was something his mate really wanted to do. He closed his eyes when the mask got close, and simply felt the man's hands working to secure it to his face, and only opened them when he felt the touch disappear. The prince couldn't see himself, and kind of didn't want to look in the mirror. Eurion was fueling his vanity just fine from the way he stared at Sláine. He tilted his head and smiled softly at his mate, fiddling with the sleeves of his robes. Eurion looked fucking breathtaking in his outfit, the matching opposite of his own. The colors may have brought out the Fae's paler skin, but they fit. Eurion was something darker, moodier. The darker colors complemented him perfectly, just as they complimented Sláine's outfit.

"If I look half as good as you do," he said, eyes roving over Eurion's body again and again; he couldn't get enough, "then I can see why you're looking at me like that." Pure affection and appreciation shone in his gaze.

Eurion couldn't help the soft chuckle that escaped his lips, "You look more than half as good as I," He said, fastening his own mask into position, "You're more beautiful than the Eclipse herself." The assassin used a finger to rest under Sláine's chin, using it to keep the prince's gaze on him as he leaned in to place a chaste kiss upon his lover's lips.

His prince was gorgeous in so many ways. Not just his looks, but his heart and soul, too. It called to Eurion in ways no one had ever called to him before, filled a hole in his own heart that had been empty his whole life, even if he hadn't realised it before he met Sláine. Nothing and no one would ever compare, not even the Fae Gods were as beautiful as the man standing before him. He would never be able to get enough of him. Eurion would never be satisfied until the day he died because every waking moment was spent craving his prince. Craving Sláine and simply his presence. Nothing would ever be enough. But right now, standing with the other as the soft music started to fill the space from the ground below, Eurion couldn't help but feel as if everything leading up to this moment was worth it.

The kiss only lasted a few moments and he gave Sláine that same soft, loving and adoring smile that had been plastered on his face. Staying longer was only going to cause them more delays and Eurion was already preparing for the protests he was going to get from Aideen, at least. But, it would be worth it, because he knew - well, he hoped - that they were all going to have fun. The Eclipse and the Skyfall were drawing closer and closer. Eurion could tell because the music was louder, the sun had set completely and the atmosphere was changing. It made the assassin all the more excited. It was going to be amazing.

Letting the hand that had been resting under Sláine's chin drop, he took the man's hand instead, interlacing their fingers and squeezing. Just like everything else about them, their hands fit, with Eurion's covering his prince's and it was just a reminder of how well they went together. He inclined his head towards the door, "Come on, let's go get the other two sorted." With that, he led them out of the room and to the door next to theirs. And incase they were up to anything that EUrion really didn't want to see, he knocked loudly.

Sláine begged to differ, unable to take his eyes off of Eurion. The robes decorated his figure perfectly, and the mask only made him look even better by making his eyes stand out. A proper Fae man, tall and handsome and captivated by the prince standing before him. Breathtaking. Sláine couldn't believe that he got lucky with someone like Eurion. Even when he had been pinned to the floor by Aideen, fresh from being caught trying to kill the princes, Sláine had recognized how handsome his assassin was. Recognized it, but hadn't done anything about it because there had been no point.

Except then he had that man in his bed in less than an hour, and hours later ended up with him in his arms, sleeping peacefully. In the morning, he had an assassin in his lap. Sláine hated to admit it, but he had been enraptured from the start. Maybe not explicitly, but there had been that instant draw towards Eurion. It's what had driven him to help the man despite knowing nothing about the Gods, and what had driven his anger towards the Gods for what they had done during that night. The bond explained it, now that he knew, but it didn't discount how much the prince had paid attention to the gorgeous assassin—who he now wanted to pamper and spoil and give the world to. Who he'd want forever, at any given moment in time. No one else could compare to him.

The prince hummed and melted into that touch to his chin. He let his head be tilted up for that chaste kiss, happy to even have that when he knew that they needed to go. It would have to be enough until they actually made it to the festival. It's why Sláine just accepted the kiss he got and didn't try to get more, even if he wanted to. They were really pushing the time. The smile he aimed up at Eurion was soft and loving, the mirror of the one he had received, then he leaned in to quickly kiss the man's neck as their hands were intertwined. "Thank you, baby," he whispered into Eurion's neck when they made it to the door, just for slight payback, "for doing all this."

And, as if the twins had arranged this somehow, the door opened before Eurion could respond and Caoimhe leaned against the frame. He had a smirk on his face, and he crossed his arms after giving the two an up-and-down look. "I see we've kissed and made up?" Sláine narrowed his eyes at his brother, and Caoimhe backed away with his hands in the air. "Kidding, kidding. Please don't kill me." Aideen was further in there, sitting on the bed. She still had her comfy shorts on, but she had tossed off Caoimhe's shirt at some point, so she was just in a bra. Neither one seemed particularly ruffled.

Eurion made a point of not looking Aideen's way bar a quick glance towards her before noting what she was wearing. As much as the other two didn't care they had been around her for ages. He, however, had only known the woman for about a week and either way, it felt uncomfortable to look, so he gestured for Caoimhe to sit on the stool in front of the dresser as he moved to the pile of things that the prince had brought into their room. He rummaged through to find the pots of paint and started to set the robes, jewels and masks into two separate piles so everything was with their correct pieces. Made things easier for him in the long run, since Aideen could put her jewellery on while he worked on Caoimhe, which meant getting out of there quicker and down to the festival before they missed anything important.

"Unless you make an outrageously stupid comment," The assassin said, moving back towards the other prince with the paint in hand, "Then I'm not going to kill you tonight." He had no plans of killing any of them - well, maybe Aideen if she got on his nerves one too many times - but definitely not tonight. There had been too many interruptions and issues so far and he was dertimed to make things go right.

He was quick to open the pot and place the container down once he had enough of the paint on his fingers. Now that he had no distractions, or more correctly, he wasn't trying to make Sláine flustered for the sake of pulling a reaction out of him, Eurion wasn't going to be long when it came to getting the other two ready. It was still odd swiping the paint along Caoimhe's features, the feeling was only going to grow when it came to Aideen because he was not looking forward to that, but he would do what he had to in order to have them looking perfectly Fae for the evening.

It would be good, Eurion kept telling himself. It had to be good. If it ended up being a disappointment then Eurion didn't know what he was going to do. Probably never come back to Indrigos again. As much as the city was beautiful in its own right outside of the festivities, there wasn't anything for him here anymore. So unless there was a damned good reason like Skyfall, then he had no plans of staying. Sure, it was his people, his birthplace, but it wasn't home and he doubted it ever would.

The paint was quick to be placed and soon Eurion was moving once more to and was grabbing the robes for Caoimhe.

Aideen snickered when Eurion refused to look at her, but did comply with the man's discomfort and rolled over to nab Caoimhe's shirt off the floor to throw it back on. She was comfortable being around the princes in minimal clothing, also used to it from training with the knights. So, she wasn't shy by any means, but Sláine was unusually hostile right now with the two of them as he hovered by the door. The prince's stern glare was something to behold, and if she wasn't afraid of getting a lashing from him for messing with his lover, then she'd make a joke about it.

"It's not you I'm worried about killing me," Caoimhe mumbled, taking up post where directed and sitting still for Eurion to work. He, too, noticed how wound up and antsy Sláine was while in the room with the others. It felt like, now that they were back together and sorted things out—and potentially made things official—he was overly protective of his assassin and their relationship. It even showed in the way he had stormed Caoimhe earlier for mentioning Witch polyamory to the Fae man. He had seen his twin protective before, especially over people he cared about, and it was always worse at the start of everything, like Sláine was afraid of someone snatching his partner when the relationship was fresh and not solidified.

That, or this time around, he didn't want anyone messing with his mate's head again.

While Eurion worked, Caoimhe pulled the mask back on, his horns melting away and teeth going back to normal. Instead of Sláine's thorough dolling up of his face and features, he just changed his ears. Partly to not mess with Eurion's work, and partly because he really didn't care. It really was weird to have the assassin painting his face. Eurion was close to him, hands on his face, and had probably been in a similar position with Sláine. Minus the inevitable intimacy added in. Thankfully, though, the man was efficient and in a hurry, so Caoimhe fanned his face to dry the paint faster while his clothes were grabbed. "Watch her mouth," the prince warned, and jerked his chin towards Aideen. "She bites."

The shifter hardly blinked. She gestured to the puncture marks on her shoulder, where the collar of Caoimhe's too-big shirt hung off of. "Yes. I'm the biter."

Eurion laid the robes next to Caoimhe, "If you have issues with the sash then say so." He said as his only response to the prince's comment. At least to his face specifically. The assassin moved away from him and towards the bed once more where he grabbed the other pot of paint. Over and done with as soon as possible was his mind set because he did not want to be that close to the guard for any longer than was necessary. He didn't her move from where she sat on the bed, simply stood - well, towered - over her as he dipped his fingers in the paint.

"Bite my fingers off and I'll make sure you lose all of yours." As much as it was partly a joke, Eurion's eyes were determined and clear that he probably would do something similar if Aideen tried anything. With that, he was bending his knees down so he could get closer to her face. His touch wasn't as gentle as it had been with Sláine but he was still direct with and firm with his movements, knowing exactly what he was doing and where he wanted the paint to be placed. It was over quicker than he had been with either of the prince's but Aideen's paint was a mirror of Caoimhe's and looked just as good as the other's. Eurion twisted the lid back on the pot and placed it to one side. At least he still had his fingers.

As he had done with Caoimhe's robes, Eurion moved to grab Aideen's, laying them out in a similar fashion as he had done with all the rest. The jewellry and masks still sat to one side but he figured that the Witches were able to do that themselves. They weren't entirely incapable of dressing themselves, but Eurion's desire to make tonight a perfect night was outweighing everything else at the moment and his stress levels were once again increasing.

Down below he could hear the party. His ears twitched and inclined towards the sounds of fun and laughter, the magic in the air had increased and he could feel it like an itch he couldn't scratch, for a tingling in the back of his head. Fae magic. It almost seemed to be helping with the recovering of his own shadows, and as the assassin moved back towards his prince, he could feel them picking up as if they, too were calling towards Sláine.

Caoimhe hummed in acknowledgement and sorted through the robes as if he hadn't been there to pick them out in the first place. Aideen, however, looked beyond smug and entertained by Eurion's obvious apprehension about being around her. She had sat with him and got him to talk about Sláine enough to shake him out of his stupid moment where he had been terrified of his own mate. But no, he wanted nothing to do with her and was making threats in preparation for her biting him when he had just easily dealt with the actual biter. For fun, and just to mess with him, she grinned and snapped her teeth at Eurion's hands as he got close to put on the face paint. Not close enough to be a threat, but still an empty threat for entertainment purposes.

That bit of fun out of the way, she sat still and didn't cause any problems for Eurion as he applied the paint. It didn't take any master at observation to notice how he took less time on her than Caoimhe, and undoubtably Sláine as well. It just added to her amusement, but she silently appreciated it because she didn't want to be near him any longer than she had to be, especially with his hands on her face applying paint. It would've been so much easier if they could do it themselves, but they weren't Fae and didn't know the customs like Eurion did. So, they had to stick with letting him do his thing and follow his judgement.

Caoimhe started work on pulling the robes on while Aideen got her face paint, and he and Sláine split up the jewelry to deck themselves out in shiny metal and jewels. The two were quiet as they focused on their tasks, but they were also focusing on their lovers to make sure a fight didn't break out. Caoimhe might've been the one worried about dying at the hands of his twin, but Eurion and Aideen were more likely to get at each other's throats for real. They only breathed a full breath of air when the two separated without damage done to one another, and Aideen was picking up her robes to inspect and put on.

Sláine, now decked out in jewelry, reached out for his assassin the second Eurion was walking over to him. He intertwined their hands and snuggled close, comforting the both of them with contact. While Caoimhe got the rest of his jewelry and his mask on, and Aideen dressed, Sláine busied himself with holding Eurion close and hooking his chin on the other's shoulder, at the perfect height to do so. "You did good," the prince murmured, complimenting the choice in clothes for the group.

Eurion relaxed at the contact, sinking into Sláine's grasp with no hesitation. That calming effect the man seemed to hold over him washed over the assassin and he let his head tilt to the side to rest on his lover's, "I should hope so." He murmured back. Considering he had been planning and thinking about the colour choices for the last week to occupy his mind from what could have been a terrible spiralling incident if he let himself believe that Sláine and he weren't going to be okay. But, it had all worked out. They were okay, they were more than okay, in fact, and it was only enforced by how they were holding one another.

He let himself close his eyes for a moment, breathing in Sláine's presence. It felt weird, to be affectionate in front of Caoimhe and Aideen. After having to hide their affection and then not having any contact at all Eurion didn't know if he was going to get used to it any time soon. But, he wouldn't deny that he liked it. He liked being able to hold and kiss and relax into his prince without having to worry about hiding it. He didn't have to hide their bond, that instant connection that drew them to one another in the first place. Eurion had a beautiful man standing next to him, holding his hand, and for the first time in his life, he was starting to feel like maybe he had found a place to belong.

The assassin spun the ring around his finger with his free hand, using his thumb to do so and feeling the gem underneath. It was self-soothing as they waited for the other two to finish getting themselves ready. Once they were in the thick of the festival they would be okay. Eurion would feel less nervous. It was the waiting that was getting to him. Considering he was an assassin and he spent half his time waiting for an opportunity, it was odd that this was what was really pulling at him. He squeezed Sláine's hand and open his eyes once more.

By that point, it seemed that the other couple were ready to go, and Eurion lifted his head from where it had been leaning and took a breath, "We should get going otherwise we're going to miss the main event."

Sláine made sure to snuggle into Eurion to help ease that tension he was carrying, keeping their hands laced together and bodies pressed close. He could feel the way his assassin relaxed into the contact, and how he rested his head on top of Sláine's. Caoimhe met his twin's gaze and smiled a little, then moved to help Aideen get ready and to mask her not so Fae features. It was odd, being physical with Eurion out in the open when they had tried so hard to hide it before. Sláine had been too scared to when stand next to his assassin while they walked, but now he was blatantly accepting Eurion's presence by reaching for him and cuddling into his side. He didn't know how Eurion felt about it, but he must not mind too much if he was so willing to lean into him—or, like earlier, be obviously affectionate. Even the placement of the marks he had left on the prince was more obvious, concentrated around Sláine's neck and up to his ears so everyone could see for themselves who Sláine belonged to.

And, neither Aideen nor Caoimhe batted an eye at it. They had seen how devastated the both of them had been when the Gods had screwed everything up, and Caoimhe had a hand in making things better by planting the idea of the chains that could faintly be heard with every movement Sláine made. Aideen had listened to far too much about their room in order to help smooth things back over. It was no surprise that they didn't care. In fact, Caoimhe approved of it. He liked Eurion, and he especially liked how happy he made his baby brother. Sláine looked like he was seeing the moon and stars for the first time every time he looked at the assassin. And Eurion could never hope to hide how utterly smitten he was with the prince. Who was he to disapprove of that?

Once Aideen was sufficiently dressed, masked up, and looking Fae with solid black hair, bright blue eyes, and pointed ears, Caoimhe put hid mask over his eyes and indicated they were ready to go. Sláine didn't want to separate from Eurion just yet, so he kept their hands linked even when the other lifted his head. "Probably best to hurry, too. We've already burned enough daylight."

Aideen put her hands on her hips. "And whose fault is that?" Sláine scowled and hid against Eurion's shoulder, and Caoimhe snickered and linked an arm around Aideen's waist to pull her into his side. The prince gestured for Eurion to lead the way, given he was the only true Fae in the room.

Eurion couldn't help but roll his eyes at Aideen's comment. She wasn't wrong but there was no need to remind them that it was in fact their fault that they were running later than they probably should have been. But the assassin didn't care. He had his mate back, which was the most important thing in his eyes. It was only solidified by Sláine keeping their hands interlocked and hiding behind him when Aideen commented on the state of things. Either way, they were ready. It was weird to see the guard looking Fae. The masks that Caoimhe and Sláine had been wearing while they travelled had Eurion being used to the difference in appearance, and most of the time their hair covered their ears so there wasn't much of a change. On the other hand, Aideen looked a lot different and was strange to see - especially with the change in her eyes.

Regardless, Eurion led them out of their rooms, nodding to the Fae who seemed to be packing up for the evening, off to enjoy the festivities himself. No one would be working tonight unless they ran a stall of some kind, and even then they were in the thick of the event so it wouldn't feel like working. The other Fae returned Eurion's nod and before they knew it, they were heading down to the festival.

The bridge of Starlight was packed with Fae making their way across to the main courtyard of the city. The large paved area was circular, and all roads and paths seemed to converge in the middle as it was directly under the opening in the canopy of trees that protected the city from outside dangers. The river flowed round, and the shorelines were just as busy and packed, the gardens in full bloom and almost glowing and glittering in the moonlight that was starting to peak through the trees as the Eclipse drew closer. Stalls continued to line the streets and the outside of the middle courtyard but the centre was free of any, as Fae danced and weaved through the crowds trying to find the best position to be able to view the astronautical events. Whatever band had been playing through the streets had also made their way to the middle and were now comfortably atop a small stage.

In the distance, the castle was illuminated, the white marble making the place glow like everything else in the city, and appeared as if it were made from starlight itself. An impressive feature even if a bit domineering. No one seemed to care, however, too wrapped up in the music and dancing and organised chaos of Skyfall to care what their royals might be doing. Everyone was dressed in the same style of robes as the group was and ranged in colour from the brightest yellows to the deepest greens. Couples were obvious, and those who were looking for someone to spend the night with were just as clear.

And Eurion tried to keep his excitement in check, but it wasn't going very well.

The group couldn't keep their eyes on any single thing. Everything was glittering like grounded starlight, and the crowds were even drawing their eyes. Their city has festivals, of course, and after the change in throne, they are more elaborate and booming than ever. But this was entirely different, full of people they were never around, at a festival that just screamed get lost in the thrill. Had they been on their own, they would definitely get lost in the crowd and music and lights, just another one of the masked revelers.

Had they not met Eurion, they wouldn't have been able to do this. Well, they might've, but they wouldn't have a clue as to the customs and rules and where to go. They'd just have their Fae disguises and a stroke of hope they didn't stick out too much. Thankfully, in terms of sticking out, the masks covered most of their faces to avoid the off chance of being recognized. Sláine had tied two chunks of his hair back into a braided crown, so his ears were showing—and the marks weren't hidden behind a curtain of auburn curls. Caoimhe left his alone. And Aideen wasn't that recognizable on a normal day, so she was safe. It's what gave them the freedom to not worry about being spotted or accused of crashing the party, and so their shoulders were light as they milled about and stared in awe of everything.

Sláine stayed with Eurion, though. Hands locked, cheek on shoulder, he was staring at the most beautiful part of the festival. "You're allowed to look excited," said to his mate, eyes glittering with amusement but also adoration for the held back feelings. "I'd honestly prefer it. You deserve to let go for a little." And, he didn't say this, the man somehow always managed to look good and cute at the same time when he displayed any form of joy. But Sláine was more concerned about encouraging his mate to enjoy the very thing he was anxious about getting perfect. It wasn't fair for the others to be excited and enjoy their time while Eurion held his emotions in check to keep that cool and calm persona.

He smiled up at his assassin and kissed his neck, just a sweet peck. "Have fun, acushla. You've been wanting this." As much as the prince had wanted to come to see Skyfall and experience the Fae festival, he had mostly wanted to give Eurion a chance to experience it himself after he had expressed wanting to go but not being able to. This, to Sláine, was all for his mate.

Eurion looked down at his mate, and the facade of cool and calm properly faded into nothing. Had he been with anyone else he wouldn't have let a single drop of his true feeling show. But he wasn't just with anyone. He was with Sláine and the man would allow himself tonight, one night, to let himself go. To let himself enjoy the festival he had dreamed of seeing for years, to witness the welcoming of the new season, to be present when the stars began to fall and wishes were made and granted and he would do it all with his prince. It would never feel right to be present and let himself enjoy the vent without him. The two matched every other smiling and loved-up couple that was present in the courtyard, for their interlocked hands to how they looked at one another. Mirrors of others, blending in and letting the essence of their mates wash through them all, just as the Fae magic did.

He was tempted to say how he felt it was undeserved that he was here. After all this time, all the waiting and wishing, to allow himself a night of fun after all he had done felt wrong. But for once, Eurion couldn't- wouldn't let his fears and worries cloud the excitement he was experiencing. Whether or not he deserved this would be dealt with later. Right now, Eurion needed a drink, and a dance, and he was going to enjoy both of them whether his head wanted him to or not.

Inclining his head towards the nearest stand without a word but a smile that was far lighter than Eurion realised, he led the group to the side. The woman standing behind the table noted their presence, and Eurion was quick to converse in his mother tongue with a nod of respect towards the older Fae. She smiled, returned the gesture, and poured them four glasses of one of the drinks that were a bright sky blue. It glittered like everything else, although was the most bright out of the selection on the table. The strongest, but Eurion needed it, and he also knew it tasted just as good. Sweet and fruity and fresh and exactly what would loosen them all up.

When the drunks were in their hands, the assassin cleared his throat and held his glass in a toast, "Welcome to Skyfall." He said, and although his voice was slightly raised due to the noise around them, there was something genuine about how he said the words that, even though he didn't say it explicitly, showed that he was glad they were there, together, no matter the journey to get to that point.

Almost as if he knew how Eurion wanted to argue against deserving anything good like this, Sláine squeezed his hand in gentle reassurance and nudged his nose against his shoulder. It was also a silent praise for not arguing, and for once accepting something good without argument or protest. Because the assassin did deserve it. He deserved every bright moment of life, every sliver of happiness and excitement that had been robbed from him at an early age because of the crueler side of fate and the Gods. If Sláine deserved someone as doting and kind as Eurion, someone who made him feel lighter and better than he was, then the assassin deserved a night out with his people at such an important and momentous event. It was just a single night, and the prince was determined to make sure his stubborn mate had fun and didn't let anything worry him besides the inevitable coming of alcohol and drunk Witches.

All around them, as Eurion led them towards a table of colorful drinks, there were couples much like the group. Sláine noted all of their outfits, how the colors matched one another just like theirs, and how the couples were almost always touching or nearly touching. Given they were in Fae lands, they had to be mates. Is that what he and Eurion looked like? Drunk on affection and touch? Never quite able to part from one another? Sending soft smiles to one another unknowingly, just on reflex? They all looked madly in love. He wondered how long they had all known one another, if they were looking like that after just meeting. It sent a shiver through him at the thought; it had too many implications, too many rabbit holes for him to fall way too deep into. He told himself to just focus on being with Eurion and having fun, and everything would work out just fine.

Sláine happily accepted his drink with a soft word of thanks, as did the others. Aideen looked about ready to knock it back in one go and bolt, while Caoimhe gave her a stern look—even if his stare at the drink was just as greedy. They all wanted to loosen up, have fun, and drink to their heart's content while they could. When Eurion made his toast, they all held their drinks up and made a cheers to Skyfall, then drank. Sláine was a little more controlled with his drinking, but the other two were quick to drink once they realized how good it was. Just one taste, he knew it was strong, even if just as delicious. They'd be plastered in no time with their track record.

The prince waited until they were too busy with one another to stand in front of Eurion. His smile was brilliant, but soft, as he looked up at his assassin and made a private toast between them. "For us, and not giving up on me." He couldn't thank Eurion enough for being so stubborn, because it had pulled him out of his stupor and brought them to where they now stood. If it had continued, if the man had decided it wasn't worth the trouble, Sláine had a feeling he'd be miserable his entire life without Eurion at his side.

Eurion clinked their glasses together at Sláine's private toast and took a sip of his drink once more. His stubbornness pulled through and everything was working out. He had his mate, he had Skyfall and their night together and nothing was going to go wrong. At least not for the next few hours. It was only a matter of time before the Eclipse started, Eurion could tell from the way that more and more people were gathering around them and inclining their heads up at the space above. The stars glittered and twinkled, a few brighter than others, and the moon was beginning to move into position. Soon, the stars would start falling, and he would hold his lover close and experience the beauty of the festival with him.

"I waited far too long for our paths to cross," Eurion said, wrapping his free arm around Sláine's waist to hold them close. He took another swig of his drink and felt the freshness wash down his throat and into his stomach, "I gave up on finding you, Sláine. For a long time, I thought I would never find you. And yet against everything, I found you, and I wasn't going to let you get away from me that easily."

Not after all he had been through to get to that point. Gods be damned, fate could fuck itself. Whatever stars had alined to finally put the prince in his life he silently thanked but Eurion had needed a stroke of luck and had found it in Sláine. In the prince that had comforted him that first night at the palace, checked on his wounds and saved his life by making sure he made it to his friends alive enough to be healed and to be cared for. Without him, Eurion would no doubt still be wandering alone. At least now he had someone. Whether or not they wandered together was up for debate. Whatever happened after Aideen's little scavenger hunt for the Old Gods was up in the air but he couldn't bring himself to care more than a few thoughts at the moment. Right now, he had the most handsome man in his arms, smiling up at him as if he were the only person in the whole world that mattered, and Eurion knew he was giving Sláine much of a similar look.

Two halves of a whole now found and fitted together. The torture of the past week of not being able to hold and talk had proven that they were one in the same, that they completed each other. He hadn't known what he was missing until he had found Sláine. Now that they had each other, Eurion was going to do everything he could to stay with him.

They could've been the only people in the world, and Sláine wouldn't have known. His brother and friend were keeping close enough to not get lost, but were far enough away that the two couples had their own privacy—and he didn't care. The increasing crowd and their ruckus as the time of the Eclipse drew near hardly registered to him when he had Eurion looking at him like that, saying those words that went beyond his simple toast, but matched everything he had left unsaid. The prince was easy to grab and move, and it took nothing to get him closer to Eurion. He snuggled into the man's side, careful of both their drinks, and reached with his free hand to hold Eurion's wrist as a way to embrace his mate back beyond his obvious snuggling.

Eyes slipping closed, Sláine nudged his assassin's shoulder with his nose and breathed in his scent. This was the most important thing to him right then. Skyfall would have his attention when it arrived. "I never thought I'd ever find someone meant for forever. Didn't think it was in the cards for me, like some sort of divine punishment for whatever wrong I had done in life." He took another sip and snuggled even further into his mate, soaking in the other's warmth and comfort. "Then you showed up, and it all made sense. I was stupid once—never again." He had missed his assassin far too much, and it was just a week. It might've been better if he had known that they'd be together once again, but he hadn't, and it made the week all the more agonizing. Not knowing if he could kiss or hug or even talk to his mate again? Torture.

Sláine had been figuratively alone for ages. He might've been a twin, but it wasn't the same as having a partner, the completion of his soul. Even with partners, it hadn't been quite right. He still hadn't felt at home. With Eurion, he felt lighter and more accepted than he had ever felt. He wasn't alone. Even if he stood by himself in an open field, separated from everyone, Eurion would be there with him through the bond. All it would take would be a simple thought, and his assassin would send a barrage of thoughts and emotions down the bond just to make Sláine feel better. Having Eurion in his life would be the best thing he'd ever wish to have in a lifetime, he knew that without a doubt. Nothing else would match him in any capacity.

His eyes opened back up, casting up to the sky to not miss the incoming Skyfall. "Lots of people think being a twin means you're automatically a half of a whole," he murmured, thinking out loud but just loud enough for Eurion to hear him. "But I think I was missing more of my soul without you than what Caoimhe takes up."

The assassin couldn't help the soft chuckle that escaped him at Sláine's murmured comments, and he pressed a kiss to the top of his head only a moment later, "I don't know how pleased Caoimhe would be to hear that," He said, "Skyfall represents the fresh start of the new season. Consider this a fresh start for us, too."

No matter what challenges they had faced on the way to get to this point, they were in the past. They had made it this far and reached a point where they were once again okay and neither of them was going to let them go back to that place where they weren't talking. Neither of them deserved that. The assassin and the prince. Eurion would have never imagined his mate being someone of such importance, let alone someone that wasn't even Fae, but he wouldn't have it any other way. He wouldn't change a single thing about Sláine, or their meeting because otherwise they would be where they were now. Together in a sea of Fae waiting for the event of the season and for the first time in over a century, Eurion was happy.

Almost as if on cue, a silence washed over the crowd and Eurion nudged the other as he inclined his head up towards the canopy.

The moon had moved its way into position, central over the city and had been casting the space in bright light, illuminating the beauty of the city itself. But in the minutes that were passing the sun had nearly aligned itself. Time stilled as the two cosmic entities moved together until they were flush with one another and suddenly the light disappeared and the moon turned dark and black. There was a rim of light from behind that still kept that glowing luminescence but in a flash of bright white, that rim almost exploded. An audible gasp rippled throughout the crowd as the alignment and the flash took place, but what followed was even more impressive. The light that had exploded sent shock waves of light spilling out from behind the Eclipse and as it did so, the stars started falling.

Colour of white and gold, deep blues and greens as stars of all kinds began their descent from the heavens. The Eclipse started to fade but that only increased the amount of falling light, and others leaped across the sky from behind. But it was the ones that started falling down through the canopy that were the most beautiful. They glistened and danced and weaved their way through the trees - first, they were in a few small groups, and then they increased in number and started to fall onto the crowd and the Fae itself. The silence disappeared into cheers and cries of happiness as the stars kept falling and falling. It was obvious why the festival got the name Skyfall, considering that was exactly what it looked like.

Eurion couldn't help he way his eyes widened and his mouth practically dropped open, a smile dancing on his lips as he pulled Sláine closer if all possible as he watched the event. It was just as beautiful and extraordinary as he had imagined.

A fresh start. Sláine couldn't think of any times he's had a fresh start that ended any differently than how the first start had. Seiger was taken out of the picture, dead and gone with the throne left bloody and in need of aggressive scrubbing—and the prince's nightmares had increased since then. Several attempts at sweet-talking nobles into doing what he asked had only backfired and gotten him nowhere but where he had started. So many times, he had told himself it was a fresh start, and it was just as stagnant and rotten, if not worse.

But being with Eurion was completely different. Already, their fresh start was different from the beginning. They weren't strangers, they weren't questioning what they were to one another or where their relationship would progress; and most importantly, they weren't ignoring one another or terrified of their relationship going down in the gutter. No, they were smiling and cuddling and making promises of never again. Eurion was holding the prince close and kissing the top of his head and standing in his homeland sharing a moment he hadn't gotten to experience before. Sláine was beyond convinced that their fresh start would be entirely different from the others. They were meant to be together, meant to last. If he could help it, he refused to let anything take that happiness away. Not only would it devastate him if he lost his assassin, but Eurion would as well—and he couldn't allow that to happen. The man deserved all the happiness in the world.

There were word he should probably say, a returned feeling of that fresh start between them, but Sláine couldn't conjure anything. His tongue was tied. But it didn't matter, because then he was being nudged, and the sky erupted.

From somewhere around them, Aideen's whoop was heard as the stars began their descent. After a quick scan of the crowd, he found her on her toes, leaning on Caoimhe to get a better view over everyone's heads despite the stars falling from above. But Sláine understood her enthusiasm. He'd seen plenty of unique phenomenons in his lifetime, but this? This was easily his favorite, even if it was his first (and perhaps only) time seeing it. His mouth hung open on silent awe, and Eurion pulling him closer was hardly registered even if he leaned into the touch. Beautiful. Utterly beautiful. The prince wanted to reach out and catch one, like that was possible, and hoard it to himself for eternity, like that would make his life brighter if he did. Happier. But if he did, he'd give it to Eurion, who was gorgeous and smiling and so happy right in that moment. Even without his ulterior motive, Sláine didn't regret pushing for this detour. It was beyond worth seeing, and he mourned the rarity of it. But perhaps that was the beauty of it, the rareness of both events—let alone both together.

Squeezing Eurion in return, Sláine couldn't pull his gaze away from the rainfall of stars.

The stars continued to fall and more and more erupted from the Eclipse above until the sky was filled with the lights of the cosmic entities making their way into the crowd. They fell slow enough for the Fae below to catch and hold, and it only made the event all the more special. Some fell faster, practically hitting the Fae instead of floating down into their hands and the laughter that followed from those that were hit by the stars was loud and joyous. The Eclipse above lasted longer than what was probably regular, but a part of that was because the stars falling and erupting around them didn't usually happen at the same time. But it was beautiful nonetheless, and there was definitely no complaints from anyone in the crowd.

Eurion's smile only grew as the stars came closer and closer to them. Never in his life had he looked so happy. As a child, maybe, but nothing that he may have felt as a kid compared to the beauty of what he was experiencing right then and there. His mate was tucked into his side, squeezing him back and they were in the middle of an event that Eurion had never believed he would ever have the opportunity to see.

It was a magic like no other. A magic that was special and rare and exciting and his smile, a real, genuine smile, was wider than it had ever been.

And then there was a star falling in front of them both. There were many that had reached that stage by now, some by Aideen and Caoimhe, many in the centre of the crowd, but one floated down in front of the couple. Eurion removed his hand from around Sláine and let the star float into his hand and come to rest. The star pulsed at the connection, warm in his hand and glowed a soft, pale green, shimmering and calling to him. It was strange to touch, and the light of it felt odd considering his own magic but it was unlike that of the usual light that would have his shadows withering away. It felt weird, but just as right as his prince's magic felt when they were connected in that way.

Eurion moved so his hand was in between the two of them, keeping the star protected from anyone around them that may accidentally knock the thing to the ground or potentially try and snatch it up for someone else. The assassin couldn't help but mutter a prayer of thanks in his native tongue, "Thank you, Eclipse, for the blessing of the star. Your beauty and love is felt deep within, and it does not go without gratefulness. You bring love and prosperity that I wish to extend to my mate. Bless him, too, for he deserves your love more than I."

Sláine couldn't take his eyes off of the stars as they fell to the crowd below. They were just so beautiful, and mesmerizing; so much so that he basically got put into a hypnotized state watching them make their trek down to the ground. The ones that barreled into the people at full speed pulled a snort from him as he imagined how it must feel being assaulted by falling stars. But it was just so bizarre to him that it was an actual thought he had that came naturally. Because there were stars actually falling from the sky and falling to the ground where people were reaching out and catching them. They were in people's hands right before his eyes.

Off to the side, Caoimhe hoisted Aideen into his arms for her to catch one. Now that he thought about it, the guard had never really experienced something like this either. Her childhood had been robbed from her, and her adult life was spent training with the knights and guarding her lover prince. Now as the perfect time for her to have that childish dreams and instances, like sitting up high and catching falling stars. Watching her had him relaxing and realizing that this wasn't just something for Eurion to experience and enjoy. Sure, he had known they'd all enjoy it because it was a festival, but she was laughing and giggling and hugging a star to her chest as she turned to Caoimhe with the biggest grin on her face. And his twin looked the most in love and the most relaxed he had been in a long while. This was good for them.

Sláine plastered himself closer to Eurion when a star floated down towards them. He wasn't afraid, per se, but it felt like they were something otherworldly, and that he'd break it if he reached out. It didn't matter, though, because Eurion was letting go of him to hold out a hand, and the star floated harmlessly into the man's palm. Glowing and beautiful and so very real. It pulsed its light against Eurion's pale skin, and the prince no longer noticed the absence of the arm around him. Then Eurion started muttering in his mother tongue, and Sláine watched closely to the jumping magic working to translate for him. He loved it when the assassin made an attempt to mimic his language, learning the prince's response to 'thank you's after just a few times. Sláine wanted to give that feeling back in return.

Reaching out, the prince ran a thumb over Eurion's wrist, as close to the star as he dared. Then he whispered to himself just loud enough for the assassin to hear him, careful with his pronunciation and refusing to let his accent hinder him too much. "Thank you, Eclipse, for the blessing of the star. Your beauty and love is felt deep within, and it does not go without gratefulness. You bring love and prosperity that I wish to extend to my mate. Bless him, too, for he deserves your love more than I." Sláine glanced up at Eurion with a glint in his eye that was a mixture of the star and his own intentions. The Fae wasn't getting out of it that easily. "Even if he doesn't think so," he added.

Eurion's eyes flickered from the star, to his lover, back to the star and then once again back to Sláine as his mate repeated back his words, even if the pronunciation wasn't perfect and the man's accent seemed to make it worse. Eurion knew that was probably how his prince felt whenever he repeated his own words back at him. But it was word for word and that added comment at the end was proof that Sláine had understood what he was saying. Since when had he been able to understand his language?

"How did-" The assassin let his confusion mare his features as much as his smile didn't fade away. His eyes conveyed it from how his gaze flickered across his lover's face and that star in his palm kept pulsing and warming. It had begun to hover just a little above his skin, that glow ever increasing just as those around it did the same. But as if the Eclipse had heard their prayer and their words to one another, one more star landed in Eurion's palm, glowing a soft blue to compliment that pale green glow that already lay there.

Two stars, one for each of them. It seemed unreal, almost unbelievable, that there were now two of those beautiful stars in his palm. One was blessing enough, but two? Maybe this really was a fresh start. A good omen for the two of them that they were on the right track and that they were going to be more than okay, better than they had hoped they would be. It meant more than Eurion could express. From having his mate repeat those words back at him, even if Sláine's accent and pronunciation had been just as bad as when he had attempted to mimic his lover's language over a week ago, to being able to experience the event with him, and being blessed by the Eclipse herself. Beauty and awe and wonder weren't enough to describe how he was feeling. Pure happiness wasn't even enough at this stage.

Words failed him, even though Eurion wanted to make a comment on Sláine's last words because there was no need to call him out on such a thing - as much as it was correct. How his prince knew what he was saying could be asked about another time. Right now he had two, perfect stars in his hand. Two stars that complimented one another just as the assassin and the prince did. It wasn't a coincidence, Eurion was more than aware. But the fact that it had happened to him, too them made everything feel like a dream. A far too real dream, one he didn't deserve from the happiness he was feeling, but a dream he never wanted to end, not when he held out his palm for Sláine to take one of those delicate balls of light.

Humor danced in Sláine's eyes when Eurion looked between him and the star, his confusion and excitement clear as day on his face as they battled for precedence. Maybe he should've waited until Eurion wasn't bursting with emotion ready, because the man looked like he couldn't contain much else beyond his happiness. But, it also felt like the perfect time to repeat back those words, to show that he understood the blessing, because he wanted his mate to have that knowledge. Sláine wasn't just standing there, he was listening and watching and wanted to get the most out of this experience. And, Eurion also deserved to have a blessing despite thinking otherwise, and the prince refused to let that slide without a rebuttal of his own.

So, he let it go and didn't bother explaining, because Eurion could focus on it later. Right now, he had a star in his hands, a blessing from the Eclipse, and a special occasion to enjoy. Sláine wasn't going anywhere, and neither was his magic. He smiled up at Eurion and stayed close, pressed into the other as much as possible to soak in the glow of the star and to have the warmth of his mate engulfing him. If he could pause time, he'd do so right then.

At least, he would, until a second star floated down and landed in Eurion's palm. That sufficiently distracted the assassin from his confusion, and Sláine watched as his mind practically imploded from the single occurrence. Though he wasn't completely fluent in the Fae language, he sent a silent thanks to the Eclipse. Eurion deserved this more than anything. This, he decided, was a sign that they were going to be fine. More than fine, actually. They were meant for each other, built to fit perfectly, and the two stars floating in Eurion's hand just solidified that knowledge. Their glows radiated out towards one another, mingled in the middle, and intertwined the colors into a mixture of blue and green. Perfect. Beautiful.

Sláine hesitantly reached out when Eurion held out his hand in offering. His fingers slipped beneath the newest blue one, delicately scooping it into his palm, and he held it close to his chest and heart for safety. Blessed. They'd make it out okay. Him and Eurion, Aideen and Caoimhe—they'd all be okay if this was anything to go by. A soft, wondrous smile etched into his lips, eyes bright and awe-filled. Even he couldn't believe their luck, despite being the one to repeat the prayer.

Eurion was grinning A proper, full on giddy grin that over took his features at that second star. If his drink hadn’t been in his other hand he would have held the star with both hands and cradled it as softly as new how. It was as if he were a child once again, experiencing that joy that came with being oblivious to the dangers of the world and only expecting what was good. Because this was more than good, it was brilliant and beautiful and Eurion didn’t quite know what to do with himself.

The assassin was practically bouncing on his feet at that point as he watched Sláine take his own star, and when he did, Eurion he couldn’t help the way he rocked back on his heels. He couldn’t contain his excitement, his happiness. It made things better knowing that Sláine had his own star, that they really were being blessing tonight. The chances of two stars falling into his palm had to have been rare, he had no doubt about it. They fell at random and spun through the air with no care on who they hit or who they found, but the way theirs had fallen to them? It wasn’t random, especially not with the way the stars interacted with each other. They fed other each others energy and moved and danced and flickered like they, too, were made for each other.

“Sláine,” Eurion’s voice was full of that same childlike wonder he was radiating, “Sláine look! Look we’ve been blessed by the Eclipse we-“ Eurion didn’t really know what to say, couldn’t explain how important it was.

None of the stories could have ever compared to the real life event. It was the entire reason it had been his dream for so long to visit at least once, even if the Eclipse didn’t occur on the same evening. Being blessing by the Eclipse was something else. Yes, the event signified the new year for the Fae, blessed them with prosperity for a good year, but to be blessed by a star itself, to be personally blessed was a whole other thing. A whole different meaning. It showed in the other couples around them, and other Fae with their friends, were just as excited to see the stars that had fallen on them or in their hands.

Eurion paid them no notice, however, not when he had one of his own, when Sláine had one of his own. When their stars quite literally aligned for them to be in that moment, to have those stars specifically. Eurion took a step closer to his mate and held his hand flush next to his mate’s and watched as the two stars interacted with each other. His eyes couldn’t look away, he refused to let them look anywhere else but their hands.

As much as he was excited and awed by the star, Sláine didn't care half as much about it as he did about Eurion right in that moment. Nothing, not even the stars in their hands, was as beautiful or bright as the grin on his mate's face and the child-like joy he finally let himself feel and express. Even just watching him had the prince nearly forgetting all about the star as he focused solely on Eurion.

The man was adorable. Grinning and bouncing in place, calling for Sláine to look as he focused on the stars with wonder and got so fucking happy about being blessed. Sláine couldn't take his eyes off of him, couldn't even hope to guard himself from the contagious and addictive joy and giddiness. He found himself smiling even wider without realizing, shuffling close to his mate to get a good look at both him and the stars they held, and the bouncy excitement eventually wore off enough on him that he practically vibrated with his own energy. But Eurion was the cutest, most alluring thing right there, and as much as Sláine wanted to focus on the stars and the moment and the significance of the blessing, he just couldn't tear his attention away from his precious assassin.

When Eurion moved to put their hands side by side and intently watched the two interact, Sláine ducked his head to kiss him, still all smiles and happiness. "We are," he agreed, tilting his hand towards Eurion's so that the stars were close together once more and cupped between both of their hands. Their heads nearly knocked together with how they were both hunched over the stars. He didn't care, though. A warmth had settled within his chest, heavy and comforting and not unlike that of the warmth he felt from Eurion when the man was cuddled up against him. There was a certainty that they were it. They were the ones for each other. The stars danced between their palms like long-lasting lovers, and Sláine believed it was meant for them. Fae or not, it didn't matter. His mate was the happiest the prince had ever seen, and that was a blessing all on its own.

Sláine watched, transfixed in his own right, as the combined lights and colors swirled against their skin. The stars were ethereal, beyond magic, and almost seemed like entities in their own right in how they interacted with one another. If they had been truly blessed, which he wholeheartedly believed, then Sláine silently thanked the Eclipse once more. Whatever happened to them, it would be alright.

With a soft and cheeky smile, Sláine glanced up at his adorable mate. "I told you, you deserve it."

Eurion didn't have the heart or energy to argue because it didn't matter in his mind. If Sláine thought he deserved this then maybe he did, but the assassin was to enraptured with the stars and the blessing as a whole to fight the man on the matter. Even if he didn't believe it, the Eclipse had given him a sign regardless of what his mind told him was true. He was deserving of a blessing, that much was true, and clear and very, very real if the stars in their hands were. If he was dreaming then he never wanted to wake.

His expectations for Skyfall had been high considering it was the most important event of the year, but they hadn't been high enough to have him believing that he would ever get a chance to hold one of those stars in his hands. Let alone have two within inches from each other. It made everything better, more exciting and wonderful than he ever could have imagined. The Eclipse herself had deemed him deserving, "She blessed me," His voice was so soft, still not quite believing, "She blessed us."

As if the stars could hear his words, which Eurion didn't doubt at that point, the two in their palms warmed. Then, they were hovering just above their skin as they spun round one another in a dance of their own, warming and burning brighter and brighter until they merged in a flash of soft light. The assassin didn't know that was normal or not, but then again, he hadn't seen anyone with two stars together like their own. Those blues and greens mixed together, that warmth fading only a touch now that they were one. And then, in some weird way, it almost seemed look at the two of them. Practically spinning on the spot as if to see the men that were keeping it protected from the world around them.

In another small flash of light, a two kernels of the stars essence were expelled from the main body. For a moment, they simply hovered there, in front of the two, before they made their way to the lovers and very softly, hovered over their hearts before fading into their skin. It was a strange feeling, weird but not unpleasant, warming and almost comforting, as if the heart was excepting the light into it, into their souls.

Eurion's wonder was something else, but the disbelief was still there, and Sláine wanted to fix that. What was that wonder worth if he still didn't believe it was real? The prince wanted Eurion to really believe that the blessing was real, and that he absolutely deserved something like that.

So when the stars combined into one, then settled into their hearts and warmed them from their very souls, Sláine took his assassin's face in his hands and pressed their foreheads together. His smile was gentle, and still so wide and sparkling from the excitement from everything. "Now you're not allowed to say you don't deserve anything good," he said, trying to be stern, but it failed from the pure affection and happiness flowing through him. "You were blessed by the Eclipse. Don't discount that. You deserve everything in the world. Even she thinks so." Because he might not understand just what it meant, but he knew it was important, and special, and that Eurion absolutely deserved to have that one of a kind experience with not just one, but two stars floating down into his palm.

Their combined warmth still radiated from his heart, a reminder of what they had been given, but also their very connection. The bond was alight with both of their overwhelming emotions, swirling between the two of them until it was a cocktail of everything, and he couldn't tell whose were whose, just that he felt them all. There was something there, something unnamed and a mystery to him, and it had sparked after watching Eurion become the cutest and most open he had ever been. Maybe it was his mate's childish wonder and excitement, maybe it was simply his reaction to the event and the blessings. He didn't know. But it settled there, right in a comfortable nook within the rest of his emotions, and it made itself home right there, there to stay forever.

Sláine kissed Eurion's cheek and grinned against his skin, then settled his forehead against the man's shoulder while looking down at the other's chest. If he stared long enough, he could almost see the glow of the stars where Eurion's heart was. "It's real," he murmured, gentle and in awe. The words were at once for the stubborn assassin and himself. "You've been blessed. We have. She believes in us enough to send us those stars and give them to us." And it was insane to think about given the ups and downs and initial confusion between them.

The drink in his hand was discarded to one side, whatever happened with that didn't matter because Eurion wanted, needed both his hands so he could wrap Sláine up in his arms. So he could tug his waist against his body in a nearly crushing hug, and nudge his prince's forehead away from his shoulder so he could kiss him. He probably would have let himself cry if they had not been in public. A very rare occurrence but this wasn't just any random festival, and what just happened to them wasn't just nothing.

Not everyone received a star to begin with. Half of the people around them, fuck, the majority of the city probably hadn't been granted the blessing of even being able to hold the star. That was a blessing in itself. Even then, half the people around them had been splattered with stars that had fallen too fast for them to catch or hold, leaving them with a small mark of residue from where the star had hit but it wasn't the same. But what happened with him and Sláine? It was another level of good luck, of good blessing, and from the brief moment where the assassin had looked around before the second star had fallen into his palm, it seemed the same blessing had been given to Caoimhe and Aideen, too.

All four of them. All four had been blessed beyond anything Eurion could hope for. Maybe later he could explain just how important, just how rare, it was, to be gifted the star itself and have a piece of the Eclipse inside them. She didn't simply hand out those stars, those beautiful balls of light, to just no one.

The Eclipse was an entity in herself, a Goddess to the Fae, and only in years said to bring the most luck and goodwill did Skyfall occur on the same evening as her presence. This new year would be a good one if this meant anything, and the fact that she had given Eurion, the assassin entrapped in the arms and bonds of Gods that couldn't even compare to her, meant more than he could say.

It was why all he could do was kiss Sláine, both to hide his eyes from how close they had been to tears and to pour all those emotions into it. He had no doubt that what he felt inside, the mixing and swirling of emotions weren't just his own, but he couldn't do much else. When he pulled back from the kiss, it was only far enough to rest their foreheads together, "Sláine this-" What were words again? "It means so much."

The sound of Eurion's drink hitting something it probably shouldn't startled Sláine, but he didn't have enough time to react because then he had an arm around his waist pulling him into the assassin's chest and crushing their bodies together. The prince let himself be nudged away, mostly out of surprise than compliance, and his hands moved from Eurion's face to around his neck to return the hug with a tight embrace of his own. Then they were kissing, and he had a feeling Eurion was hiding from the refusal to move apart as he spoke, and Sláine wouldn't doubt the man was emotional with how he was currently reacting—and everything he could feel through the bond.

"Mo ghaisgeach rionnag." The prince kissed his mate again, making sure that every emotion and every drop of pride he felt towards Eurion was conveyed. "Being blessed by a god is not something small or unimportant. I should know." A kiss to the man's cheek, because he couldn't stop smiling. This whole encounter was surreal, but he knew he'd remember the look on Eurion's face at receiving the stars forever. Sláine would cherish that memory for as long as he lived, and would never stop thinking about it in times that he needed his day brightened, or times when he needed to remind his mate that he mattered so much, that he was worthy and beloved and special. "Embrace it, acushla. She chose you, and I imagine for no small reason."

Blessed are the stars that choose their champions. Something his mother would say when he was a child looking up at the night sky. Maybe she had seen the Fae lands before, witnessed Skyfall. It seemed fitting, and she was much older than the both of them combined—Clíodhna had become a mother much later in life than most—so maybe she had been talking about this moment right here. She wasn't a prophet by any means, just a Mhic Arthfael, but sometimes he wondered just what she got up to in her youth to have so many tidbids of wisdom and comfort, so many sayings. But either way, regardless of if she had visited Skyfall before, it was fitting for this moment. His star champion, Eurion Beddoe. His mate.

He didn't care that he had gotten one as well. Not as much as Eurion's gift, because his mate had gone through life feeling undeserving of anything remotely good. Sláine said the man was perfect for him, and the assassin hid away while denying such thing as a truth. It was fitting, though, that he be blessed by the Eclipse, to catch two stars on a day he had never been around to witness. The prince idly wondered if the Eclipse had been waiting for this day, waiting until Eurion showed up to witness her shower of stars so she could bestow one onto him. The stars and constellations on both their robes were entirely too coincidental for him to thing this wasn't something meant to be. The assassin was night himself—ethereal, shrouded in shadows, and decorated with the most beautiful features. Even when scary and daunting, he was a helping hand with his light, a comfort for those who needed his calm. Sláine had always loved the night; mystery and wonder and magic lived there.

There were too many emotions pouring through him for Eurion to think straight. Too many thoughts in his already clouded brain. He had been so determined to make tonight perfect for his companions that he hadn't cared, really, if the night was to be perfect for him, too. This was more than he ever could have hoped for or imagined. More than he could have dreamed of. Nothing would ever be able to compare, not really. He was sure that he would have other beautiful moments like this with his mate further down the line, in fact, he was going to make sure that they more of these moments, whatever happened to them. Deserving or not, blessing or not, Eurion wanted this, for them. More than he could find the words to express, he wanted to go through life with Sláine from here on out.

After being alone for so long, it was an overwhelming feeling. The want to spend a life with someone. Eurion didn't know if he was able to do it, but from how they had interacted so far, he was sure that they would be. At least he hoped, as long as they didn't have any more hiccups along the way caused by witches and Gods.

Well, the Gods were always going to be an issue in his mind. The assassin couldn't see a way out of the bonds and chains that they had placed on him but he would work around it. He wouldn't let them fuck up his mind again and cause them any more issues. Whatever they manipulated in his mind when it came to Sláine he would take with a grain of salt from here on out and go to his prince first. He would endure that pain over and over again if it meant staying with him. Eurion had decided over the last week, but it was only solidified now that they were together, in this moment, that he would take all the pain that they gave him a hundred times over if it meant keeping Sláine safe. The man in his arms deserved someone protecting, and Eurion wasn't going to let the Gods get to him.

"She chose us." The assassin said. Had chosen not only them, but Aideen and Caoimhe, too. All of them had been chosen by the Eclipse, and the fact that it hadn't just been him almost made it all the more special. They all had something to bond over now, something that connected them all to one another, "All four of us. Sláine, my star-" Eurion pressed another kiss to his mate's lips, and in one swift move, was picking the man up in his arms, hooking his hands under his legs to hoist him upwards with a grin that was incredibly light and cheeky, "You were right to say we should visit."